As the 18th day of the war in Israel begins, Hamas has released two elderly Israeli women from captivity in Gaza. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to strike hundreds of targets in Gaza as soldiers await orders for a ground invasion. Additionally, French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Israel to show solidarity ahead of the UN Security Council meeting scheduled for later today.
The two abductees, Yochaved Lifshitz (85) and Nurit Cooper (79), who were freed from Hamas captivity, were transported by helicopter to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. This marked their first reunion with their families after spending approximately two and a half weeks in Hamas captivity.
A Jewish man was violently assaulted by a mob of pro Palestinian supporters at a Chicago area (Skokie) protest yesterday.
ā StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 23, 2023
Every single one of the individuals involved must be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law @skokiepolice pic.twitter.com/wzWxKn9igT
In a conversation with an Israeli reporter, Lifshitz, whose husband is still held captive, recounted her kidnapping by Hamas terrorists: "They loaded me onto a motorcycle sideways so I wouldn't fall, with one terrorist holding me from the front and the other from behind. They crossed the border fence into the Strip, and initially, they held me in the town of Absan, near the Israeli town of Nir Oz. After that, I don't know where I was taken."
Over the past day, the IDF has launched attacks on more than 400 military targets in the Gaza Strip. Notably, they eliminated the deputy commander of the Nusirat Battalion, the deputy commander of the Shati Battalion, and the deputy commander of the Al-Furqan Battalion, all belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas. According to the IDF spokesman, fighter jets targeted dozens of armed Hamas operatives who were preparing for rocket attacks and other terrorist actions. These attacks also targeted infrastructure and assembly points in the neighborhoods of Sajaiya, Shati, Jabaliya, Darj Tafah, and Zeitoun. Furthermore, an IDF aircraft struck a Hamas operational tunnel shaft that provided operatives with quick access to the beach, as well as operational headquarters located inside mosques.
Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, Saleh al-Arouri, Ismail Haniyeh and others have the blood of thousands on their hands.
ā Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 24, 2023
We will never forget the Hamas massacre on October 7. pic.twitter.com/yzH9kZTCj3
Meanwhile, the exchange of fire on the Lebanese border between the IDF and terrorists from the Hezbollah organization and other local Palestinian groups continues unabated. There is growing concern that the clashes on the northern front may escalate into a full-scale war, which is also evident on the Lebanese side of the border. Thousands of Lebanese residents in villages near the southern border have already fled their homes. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has remained tight-lipped and has not issued any statements since the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7.
French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Israel on a solidarity visit and met with the families of those who were killed or kidnapped. Macron is scheduled to meet today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Minister Benny Gantz, and opposition leader Yair Lapid. He will also meet with Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen in Ramallah.
Israeli hostages Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz, both in their 80s, have been released.
ā The Mossad: Satirical, Yet Awesome (@TheMossadIL) October 23, 2023
We will continue to destroy Hamas until they no longer exist and the hostages are safe at home. pic.twitter.com/B814Pn3y1f
This visit precedes a UN Security Council meeting later today, which will address calls from some countries for a ceasefire. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House, stated in an interview with CNN, "We do not believe that this is the time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel has the right to defend itself, and they have more work to do in pursuing the leadership of Hamas."
